By Daewoung Kim and Hyonhee Shin SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korea has loosened rules requiring masks to be worn outdoors as COVID-19 cases drop, but many people are not taking them off yet due to pervasive Omicron infections. Health authorities lifted the mandate on Monday in the latest step to relax distancing curbs, even amid …
S.Korea drops outdoor mask rule but many prefer to keep them on Read More »
TAIPEI (Reuters) – Taiwan’s Defence Ministry said on Monday it was considering alternative weapons options after the United States informed it that the delivery of an artillery system would be delayed due to a “crowded” production line. Washington last year approved the potential sale of 40 155mm M109A6 Medium Self-Propelled Howitzer artillery systems to Taiwan …
Taiwan considers alternatives after U.S. informs of howitzer delay Read More »
By Brenda Goh and Sophie Yu SHANGHAI/BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s commercial capital of Shanghai was dealt a blow on Monday as authorities reported 58 new COVID-19 cases outside areas under lockdown, while Beijing pressed on with testing millions of people on a May Day holiday few were celebrating. Tough coronavirus measures in Shanghai have stirred …
Setback for Shanghai’s COVID battle; Beijing focuses on mass testing Read More »
MANILA (Reuters) – Ferdinand Marcos Jr has maintained his wide lead in the Philippines presidential election race in a new survey released on Monday, but some political observers say the game may not be over for closest rival Leni Robredo. Support for Marcos, the son and namesake of the ousted dictator who ruled the Philippines …
Philippines’ Marcos keeps big lead in poll on presidential race Read More »
By Chen Lin SINGAPORE (Reuters) – Beijing’s zero-COVID strategy has had dire consequences for the millions Chinese living abroad, most of whom have been unable to see family and friends at home for two years even as the rest of the world eases travel restrictions. Some cannot afford the sky-high cost of flights and others …
Cut off from home, Chinese diaspora frustrated at zero-COVID policy Read More »
By Josh Smith SEOUL (Reuters) – Beijing is concerned about the tense situation on the Korean peninsula, China’s Korean affairs envoy said as he arrived for talks in Seoul this week, adding that both the symptoms and root cause of tensions needed to be addressed. Amid stalled denuclearisation talks, North Korea has conducted a flurry …
Beijing concerned with rising North Korea tensions, envoy says in Seoul Read More »
SYDNEY (Reuters) – China’s police presence under a new security pact will boost the capabilities of the Solomon Islands but they will not use techniques seen in Hong Kong, the Pacific island country’s top diplomat to Australia said in a radio interview on Monday. Already on guard about the pact because of concerns it gives …
Solomon Islands to supervise Chinese police operating there -official Read More »
BEIJING (Reuters) – Mainland China reported 7,822 new COVID-19 cases on May 1, including 865 symptomatic cases and 6,957 asymptomatic infections, the National Health Commission said on Monday. That was down from 8,329 new cases a day earlier, of which 920 were symptomatic and 7,409 were asymptomatic. There were 32 new deaths, all in the …
China reports 7,822 new COVID cases on May 1, down from previous day Read More »
SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korea’s factory activity accelerated in April, but cost pressures due to the Ukraine crisis and China’s strict lockdown measures continued to weigh heavily on manufacturers, a private-sector survey showed on Monday. The S&P Global purchasing managers’ index (PMI) rose to 52.1 in April from 51.2 in March, standing above the 50-mark …
S.Korea factory activity accelerates in April, cost pressures continue – PMI Read More »
TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s manufacturing activity grew at a slower pace from the previous month in April as supply chain disruptions and strict Chinese coronavirus lockdown measures hurt overseas demand. Activity in the sector was held up by resilience in output, overall orders and optimism about the year ahead, even as producers grew more wary …
Japan’s April factory activity expands at slower rate -PMI Read More »
